In most cases the
colonizing microbes’ larger forms are not detectable or even present in the
blood or at inflammation sites. It is easier to detect the generated enzymes
and molecules than the cloaked microbe.However, in many cases certain microbe-specific antibodies may be
present, indicating past exposure, confirming the likelihood of colonization.
When many of the infected macrophages die, the smaller forms may attempt to
revert to the larger form and they may become detectable. They are too
slow-growing to be effectively cultured in a short time frame and in vitro
(laboratory-generated) culture mediums do not exist for the intracellular
forms.

Bacterial forms
include Cell Wall form, Cell Wall Deficient (CWD) form, intracellular form,
cyst/bleb dormant form (hibernating). The dormant form is resistant to
antibiotics. Effective antibiotic treatment needs to address each form either
concurrently or in alternation. Pulsing the antibiotics can trick the dormant
forms into emerging and they become vulnerable to antibiotics after they start
up their metabolic processes. Many microbial strains depend on sugar (fructose,
glucose, sucrose, etc) in their metabolism, hence greatly
reducing sugar intake for all types of sugars for an extended period may break
the reproductive link of many bacterial/fungal strains.